What Connector To Use With Cat8 Cable?
A common setup for Cat8 ethernet cabling involves using Cat8 riser, outdoor or plenum as the backbone of the network infrastructure. In such setups, keystone jacks are typically used for wall outlets or patch panels to provide a clean, organized termination point. On the other hand, field termination plugs are employed to connect end devices directly to keystone jacks, ethernet ports or patch panels, ensuring a high-speed and reliable connection.
Cat8 Field Termination Plugs
For the male end of your Cat8 cable, you'll want to use a Cat8 field termination plug. These plugs are specifically designed to handle the high frequencies and shielded structure of Cat8 cables, ensuring optimal performance and durability.
Why Use Cat8 Field Termination Plugs?
- High-Speed Performance: Supports speeds up to 40Gbps, making it ideal for modern networking applications.
- Shielding for EMI Protection: Provides superior shielding to prevent electromagnetic interference (EMI), ensuring a stable and clear connection.
- Tool-Free Termination: Many Cat8 plugs offer tool-less designs, making installation quick and efficient vs traditional standard RJ45s.
- Durability: Constructed with durable materials to withstand heavy usage in demanding environments.
Field Termination Plugs can be used to plug in to standard ethernet ports such as routers, modems, gaming consoles, cameras and anything used for ethernet compatibility. They are also made to be connected to Cat8 keystone jacks which we will go over in the next section.
Shop for Cat8 Field Termination Plugs: Cat8 Field Termination Plug
Cat8 Keystone Jacks
When terminating the female end of your Cat8 cable, a Cat8 keystone jack is the perfect solution. These jacks are designed to fit into patch panels, wall plates, and surface-mount boxes, providing a clean and professional look.
Why Use Cat8 Keystone Jacks?
- Reliable Connections: Provides a secure and stable connection for high-speed networking.
- Shielded Construction: Ensures EMI protection for consistent signal quality.
- Compatibility: Easily integrates into standard keystone wall plates and panels.
- Ease of Installation: Many jacks feature toolless termination, simplifying the setup process.
Most Cat8 Keystone Jacks can be snapped in to standard ethernet wall plates and patch panels. The sizing for the front of the plug is standardized to ensure compatibility with such items. Do double check your accessory will fit Cat8 connectivity to be sure.
Shop for Cat8 Keystone Jacks: Cat8 Keystone Jack
Can I Use a Regular RJ45 with Cat8 Cable?
While we do offer regular RJ45 connectors for Cat8 cable, it is not something we recommend using. Due to the size of the conductors in Cat8 cable, achieving a proper termination with a standard RJ45 connector can be challenging. Ensuring a secure and efficient connection is difficult, which can lead to degraded performance and potential connectivity issues. This is why we strongly recommend using Cat8 field termination plugs, which are specifically designed to accommodate the thicker conductors and shielding of Cat8 cables, ensuring optimal signal integrity and long-term reliability.
Conclusion
Using the correct connectors for your Cat8 cable ensures maximum performance, reliability, and longevity of your network. Whether you're terminating the male end with a field termination plug or the female end with a keystone jack, proper installation techniques and high-quality components are key to achieving the best results.
By following this guide, you can confidently build a high-speed, future-proof network with Cat8 cables and connectors.
